(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to exercise equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus designed for performing prone versions of a fly exercise and a bent-over lateral raise exercise.
(2) Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
The current state of the art is flooded with exercise equipment tailored for specific uses. Exercise equipment has been continually improved upon, providing safer, more efficient, and more practical features.
The popular fly exercise is traditionally performed on an incline bench with free weights or in a standing position with a cable weight machine. The fly exercise is excellent for targeting most major upper body muscle groups such as the chest, tricep, shoulder, and upper back muscles.
There are several disadvantages to using and owning a traditional exercise device designed to be used to perform this exercise. First, cable weight exercise machines and free weights can be dangerous to the user and others who have contact with the equipment. Those types of equipment are not safe if there are young children with access to it. Second, all the machines in the prior art are relatively large and bulky. Third, the prior art machines can be costly. However, traditional equipment offers the significant advantage of the ability to exercise most major upper body muscle groups with a full range of motion and resistance.
Therefore, there is a need for a fly-type exercise apparatus that offers a full range of motion and resistance, but is also safer, more compact, affordable, and more convenient.
There is currently no device in the prior art that allows a fly exercise to be performed in a prone position. My invention solves the disadvantages of traditional fly exercise machines with a machine designed to allow the user to perform a fly-type exercise in a prone position. Because the machine contains no weights and folds for storage, it is inherently safer and more compact than traditional machines. The novel design allows for maximum resistance and increased range of motion. The user can alternate between the prone versions of two exercises. The apparatus is inclinable on each side to allow for greater range of motion, and is fully adjustable to allow for increased or decreased resistance. The combination of the user's position, utilizing the user's body weight, elastic resistance, and dual inclinable arms provide exercises that mimic in muscle use, form, and resistance, the traditional weight machine exercises commonly known as a fly exercise and a bent-over lateral raise.
There are several types of devices in the prior art designed to facilitate varying exercises in a prone position. However, none of these devices disclose the instant invention.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,915 discloses a track with movable handgrips to allow the user to self-adjust the spacing between the handgrips. However, the handles are locked in place when in use. The movement of the handgrips is not intended during exercise. Elastic resistance to movement during exercising is not provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,483 discloses an exercise device to be used in a prone position. It contains two movable carriages that can be selectively stationary or free-moving with a variable resistance means. The device is intended to be used with one carriage as a knee rest and the other as a handgrip, and is designed to be used only as such. No inclinable portions are disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,935 discloses an exercise device containing a pair of parallel tracks with a pair of slides slidably engaged on the tracks. Resilient resistance is provided by a combination of springs and elastic bands resulting in the spring-biased poles moving toward each other and against the springs when the slides are moved away from each other. This device is adjustable to be used in varying stretching exercises, but is not designed for any weight-mimicking strength building exercises. The ends of the tracks are not inclinable, and the resistance is not user-adjustable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,417 discloses an elongated frame with one set of parallel tracks extending throughout the entire frame. Two handles are set in the tracks. Three sets of compression coil springs are utilized, one placed between the handles, and the other two between each handle and the end of the frame. The springs primarily act as shock absorbers during standard push up exercises, but can be used as user-variable resistance to sliding the handles. The resistance is varied by moving the pins behind the outer ends to different selected sets of vertically aligned holes. Therefore, the resistance is not easily adjusted by the user. In addition, no means is provided to completely remove either force of resistance while exercising with the other. The track is not inclinable in any way. The apparatus is not compact and foldable. Consequently, this device cannot be used to achieve the same results and perform the same exercises as those provided by my invention. And lastly, the size and lack of mobility make it less practical and convenient.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an exercise device for performing a fly exercise in a prone position.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an exercise device for performing a prone version of a bent-over lateral raise traditionally performed with free weights.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device for performing both a fly exercise and bent-over lateral raise type exercise in a prone position with an apparatus that is more convenient, compact, safe, and cost-effective.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that combines the user's position, the user's body weight, elastic resistance, and dual inclinable arms to provide exercises that mimic in muscle use, form, and resistance, the traditional weight machine exercises commonly known as a fly exercise and a bent-over lateral raise.